Chapter 129: Loyalty

Inn, The Misfits Room – Midnight

Two more days remained before they could board a boat and continue their journey. Which meant the Misfits had exactly a two-day window to execute whatever sinister master plan they had prepared for their Prime Minister. But before any part of that grand scheme could move forward, they had to overcome its greatest obstacle.

Inside their cramped inn room, the four of them sat cross-legged on the wooden floor in a perfect circle, conducting what had now become their standard ritual: a very serious strategic meeting.

Irving took a slow breath.

“Let me repeat this again,” Irving said seriously.

All three others stared at him with equal seriousness.

“Tonight,” Irving continued, “Ivy and Bella will wait at the thug’s den and prepare the set and the choreography.”

The three continued staring, then nodded.

“While me and Kovalski will invite the Prime Minister for a drinking spree.”

More staring, more nodding.

“And when he gets drunk,” Irving said, raising one finger for emphasis, “me and Kovalski will separate ourselves from the Prime Minister.”

The three nodded again.

“And that’s when the cougar lady comes in and brings him to the thug’s den to have a good time.”

Nods again. Everything was going smoothly, until Irving’s expression hardened.

“But to do all that,” Irving said, his voice rising slightly as he tapped the wooden floor once with his finger, “we need to fund the Prime Minister’s drinking spree ourselves.”

Silence.

“Because,” Irving continued slowly, “there is no way he is going to pay.”

The room grew very quiet as the three of them slowly looked away from Irving.

“And there is no way this much money will be enough to pay for all that!” Irving raised his voice further, tapping the floor repeatedly now.

Coins lay in the center.

Not many. A depressing mixture of copper coins, a few silver pieces, and only a handful of gold.

The three Misfits avoided eye contact with remarkable dedication. Ivy examined the ceiling, Bella studied the table as if it had suddenly become very interesting, while Kovalski looked at the door like he might make a run for it.

“Ivy!” Irving snapped, pointing at her accusingly. “I know you still have some savings from your intern works!”

“Ugh,” Ivy responded.

“Kovalski!” Irving swung his finger toward him. “I know those old ladies you courted are still sending you money even while we’re in jail!”

“Rrgh,” Kovalski responded.

“Bella!” Irving pointed again. “Same like Kovalski! Even when you’re in jail, I know your parents are still sending you allowance!”

“Kuh,” Bella responded.

Irving inhaled deeply.

“SO STOP BEING CHEAP AND PUT MORE MONEY!!” Irving roared.

---

Somewhere Downtown

“SO STOP BEING CHEAP AND PUT MORE MONEY!!”

Irving’s voice could still be heard through Solo’s earpiece. Solo leaned back slightly, a small smirk forming on his face as he listened to the entire argument unfold in real time.

“Sir? Sir?”

A voice called out to him. Solo blinked and snapped back to attention.

Across the table sat a male dwarf. Beside him stood the same female cougar from earlier, arms crossed as she quietly observed the negotiation. They were seated inside a small meeting room.

“Ah? Sorry,” Solo said. “What was that again?”

“I was saying five golds,” the dwarf replied.

“Oh, okay then,” Solo said casually.

He immediately reached into his pouch, took out five gold coins, and handed them over. The dwarf accepted the coins quickly.

“Thank you so much, sir,” the dwarf said with a wide smile, rubbing his hands together happily.

Solo leaned back again, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

“Hmm… weird,” Solo said. “Usually everyone else complains when I haggle their price down to half.”

He glanced at the dwarf.

“But you’re not.”

The dwarf stiffened slightly.

“W-well… that’s just because I want to build a good relationship with you, dear customer,” the dwarf said nervously.

“Say, sorry to ask you this again,” Solo said, “But are you sure we never met before? I really feel like I’ve seen you before.”

“Y-You must be mistaken,” the dwarf said, sounding even more nervous now. “For others, we dwarfs all look the same haha.”

“B-By the way, how was Candy’s service before?” the dwarf asked quickly, clearly trying to change the topic.

“Ah…” Solo replied. “She’s very good. Very convincing.”

He glanced at the cougar lady standing beside the dwarf. Candy smiled back at him politely.

“Ah…” Solo repeated with a small nod. “She’s very good. Very convincing.”

“Good, good,” the dwarf nodded enthusiastically. “I was quite confused when yesterday you came asking for a girl who is good with acting. I thought you wanted to do a roleplay or something. But in the end I’m happy when my customer is satisfied.”

Solo gave a small shrug.

“Now she just needs to do one more performance for me,” he said. “Definitely tomorrow.”

“I will deliver my best performance, green handsome guy,” Candy said flirtatiously.

“Thank you.”

Solo stood up from his chair and pulled the hood of his cloak back over his head.

“Well, I’m leaving now.”

“Ah, why so fast?” the dwarf asked. “Are you sure you don’t want to hang out with Candy, or maybe other girls first?”

But Solo had already opened the office door.

Outside the office was the rest of the establishment. Because yes, the office was inside a brothel.

The main hall was lively. Female beastman prostitutes mingled with their customers, laughter and teasing voices filling the air. Some giggled, some purred, and somewhere further inside someone was definitely enjoying themselves a little too loudly.

“No thank you,” Solo said with a pleasant smile. “I love my wife so much, you know.”

Candy visibly blushed, her ears twitching slightly.

“Aww… I wish one day I find a husband like you,” she said dreamily.

Solo only replied with a gentle smile and a polite nod before walking away. He moved through the brothel with steady, confident steps, his eyes locked firmly on the exit door.

Around him, various beastman girls tried their luck—cute ones, seductive ones, playful ones, and several extremely confident ones who clearly believed persistence was a professional skill.

Solo ignored every single one of them. A married man and a loyal man. A man whose devotion could not be shaken. But what nobody else could see, however, was the small floating magical window directly in front of Solo’s face. Invisible to everyone else.

Displayed on that window was a still image of Lilith. Watching him.

Yes honey, I know you would kill me again if I fool around, Solo’s mind thought rapidly.

No, I’m not looking at any of those ass or boobs.

I’m loyal–I’m loyal.

I don’t want to get hurt–I don’t want to get hurt—

His brain repeated the mantra like a prayer while he continued marching forward. Only when he safely stepped outside the brothel did he finally relax.

Meanwhile, back in the pimp’s office, the dwarf’s expression had already changed. The friendly merchant smile was gone. In its place was something far more unpleasant.

“Kukuku… tomorrow it is,” he muttered.

Candy watched him with a troubled expression.

“Master… do we really have to do this?” she asked carefully. “He seems like a nice guy.”

“Shut your trap, Candy,” the dwarf snapped immediately.

He stood up from his chair and grabbed his coat.

“I don’t need your opinion,” he continued coldly. “Just do as you’re told like a good slave you are.”

The dwarf then stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him and leaving Candy alone inside the room who still looking troubled.

---

River Boat

Meanwhile, several hundred kilometers away from Nyanjara Town. On the wide river that connected to the town, the very same river boat Solo and the others were waiting for, continued its steady journey downstream.

It was a large commercial vessel, designed to transport both passengers and cargo between Nyanjara Town and the deeper inland regions. The hull creaked occasionally as it cut through the dark water, lanterns swaying gently with the movement of the boat.

Inside the passenger section, in front of a locked private cabin, a young male lion paced back and forth along the hallway. Round and round.

He had clearly been doing it for a while. His brow was furrowed, tail twitching slightly with worry.

Then—

Click.

The door finally unlocked from inside. The young lion immediately straightened his posture and stood up properly as the door opened.

Two lionesses stepped out first. Both of them looked exhausted. They were wearing sultry nightgowns that clearly belonged inside a bedroom rather than in a public hallway.

“Phew, that was wild,” one of the lionesses said while stretching her shoulders.

“I know right,” the other chuckled. “Doing it in a swaying boat sure hits differently.”

The two of them laughed quietly together as they walked away.

Then the third lioness stepped out. Compared to the other two, she looked far more composed and far more beautiful. Her movements were graceful, her presence confident, and her nightgown somehow looked elegant instead of disheveled.

She immediately noticed the young lion standing in the hallway.

“Ah, Ximba,” she said. “Are you waiting to meet His Majesty?”

“Yes, Aunty Shaba,” Ximba replied respectfully.

Shaba studied his face for a moment.

“You look troubled,” she said sincerely. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s…” Ximba hesitated. “It’s just a normal report.”

Shaba smiled gently and gave a very warm, motherly smile.

“Ximba,” she said softly, “while your mother, Queen Siraba isn’t here with us, you can always treat me like your own mother, okay?”

She stepped closer and gently patted his head, straightening the young lion’s mane a little as if he were still a cub.

“Just tell me if there’s something troubling you,” she continued. “Maybe I can give advice. Or at the very least, I can lend an ear.”

Ximba smiled at her.

“Thank you, Aunt Shaba,” he said. “You always treat me like your own son.”

“I do feel like you are my own son,” Shaba chuckled.

With that, she gave his shoulder a reassuring pat before leaving the hallway, heading back toward her own cabin. Once she disappeared around the corner, Ximba finally turned toward the door he had been waiting in front of.

He took a breath, then stepped inside.